Matthew Hayden fulfilled his vow of patience, Adam Gilchrist
clearly intended no such thing, and in their different ways these
two pillars of Australia's modern era strove manfully to steer
their side towards a welcome post-Ashes victory yesterday.

Try as they might, however, Australia could not quite get away
from the World XI on day one of the Super Series Test at the SCG.
With the other Australians either failing to convert starts or
failing to make them, and with the contentious new third-umpire
system having a large say in proceedings, the Rest of the World
kept the Australians within reach on what their captain Graeme
Smith called a "pretty successful" day.

On a curious first day of this experimental six-day match, which
seemed to lack a degree of healthy Test-match intensity yet ebbed
and flowed with some intrigue nonetheless, the Australians won the
toss, celebrated a Hayden century and prepared to hail another from
Gilchrist on day two.

But the World, hoping not just to harness their talent but
muster the verve and motivation to combat Australia, were not
disappointed with the stumps score of 6-331. With Hayden making 111
and Gilchrist going to stumps on 94, it could have been worse.

Repeatedly when Australia threatened to carry the day away, the
World XI clawed back with a momentum-checking dismissal, notably
those of the seemingly established Ricky Ponting on 46, Michael
Clarke on 39, and Shane Watson on 24.

Clarke and Watson may have been peeved that they departed under
the time-consuming and tiresome system under trial in this series
in which any decision can be referred to the third umpire.
Certainly the crowd were peeved, due to delays that would have been
avoided under cricket's characteristic standards of human judgement
and human error.

Clarke was caught at bat-pad off Daniel Vettori after umpire
Rudi Koertzen could not be swayed by the third umpire from his
original suspicion of an edge. Had the final say fallen to third
umpire Darrell Hair, he may well have survived on the unclear video
evidence. Watson fell to an lbw shout, with Muttiah Muralitharan
coming around the wicket, which Simon Taufel might well have
dismissed using just the naked eye, but the replays convinced Hair
that Watson was out.

With enough waiting around due to replays already, it would
surprise and disappoint if the new idea survives. At least the
fears of another mis-match between differently motivated sides, as
in the one-day portion of the series, have so far been allayed.

Still, Gilchrist can firm up Australia's position today. He was
in crashing form through his 109-ball innings, coming in at a
delicate 4-163, sharing partnerships of 97 with Hayden and 63 with
Watson, and belting four sixes, which enlivened a fair crowd of
21,832, which at first seemed not to know what to make of a very
different Test.

For Hayden, this century was immensely satisfying. He had said
England's containing plans during the Ashes had taught him to be
more patient, and he proved it by going to lunch on just 28. As the
movement evident on the damp morning decreased, he moved to 86 at
tea, and - as with his timely innings in the final Ashes Test at
The Oval - he soon had a century to celebrate, raising three
figures off 161 balls.

Hayden later reiterated that the Ashes had taught him not to
attack all attacks, and said his 22nd Test hundred was further
reward.

"I'm a naturally aggressive player, and if the bowling is off,
that's what I'll be looking to do. But if the bowling is on,
there's no point in taking the option of just going hard," said
Hayden, making the most of his Tests as the pain lingers from his
dropping from one-dayers.

"It is hard to take. But every time I put the baggy green cap on
its gives me a special sensation. You're a long time out of the
game, and right now I'm just loving every opportunity I'm
given."

On an unhelpful pitch, the World XI could have used another
quality seamer, having gone in with the out-of-form Jacques Kallis
to back up Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff. Muralitharan,
switching ends regularly, caused the most trouble but earned only
2-102 from 30 overs. But he and Vettori will already be thinking of
the damage they may wreak in the second innings.

Harmison's first over gave promise of a blistering match, with
Justin Langer first being put on the ground and then into the
dressing room, bowled by a beautiful inswinger between bat and pad
for a duck. Ponting looked established before a sharp ball from
Flintoff rose and moved in and gained an edge to Kallis at second
slip.

Clarke had moved his feet well to Vettori and Muralitharan, but
eventually lunged forward to the former and, after a
replay-checking delay deservedly filled with slow handclaps, was
given out caught at silly-point.

Simon Katich wanted to put behind him the ups and downs of
England but was run out for 0 by a Smith direct hit from mid-on in
unlucky circumstances, an accidental collision with bowler
Muralitharan meaning Katich's bat was off the ground as it crossed
the crease.

Hayden and Gilchrist turned 4-163 into 5-260 as Hayden's liking
for the cut shot brought him undone, caught at backward point off
Muralitharan. Watson and Gilchrist kept the scoreboard moving but
the all-rounder eventually fell, hitting across the line at
Muralitharan. Bad light stopped play five overs early.

Scoreboard at stumps on the first day of the Super Test
between Australia and the World XI at the SCG today.

Pitch battle &#133; Australia's Simon Katich is run out for a duck
as he collides with World XI bowler Muttiah Muralitharan at the SCG
yesterday.

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